Finally! It would have taken a historic strike in public transport and an accelerated development of cycle paths due to the global pandemic, but Smovengo got there. Its Vélib 'Métropole, launched in 2018 after ten years of the first generation Vélib', exceeded the statistics of its predecessor JCDecaux. A nice revenge, after two very difficult first years and a big slump during the strike.
The famous self-service bicycle, which has increased its fleet to 19,000 bikes at 1,380 stations, has just completed a historic month. According to the figures we are revealing to you, the service recorded an average of 162,209 trips each day in June, with a peak at 191,744 on June 24, and again more than 191,000 on June 30. At the same time in 2017, the JCDecaux Vélib 'recorded fewer than 100,000 daily trips, with a peak at 153,777.
40 times the journey from Earth to the Moon
In this month of June 2020 alone, 15.419 million kilometers were covered on the 19,000 Vélib ', or 40 times the journey from Earth to the Moon! While they only represent 40% of bikes, Vélib' Électriques (blue) are overused. They carry out 54% of the races. Where a Vélib'mécanique (green), on average, is borrowed 8 to 9 times and makes 22 km per day, an electric is borrowed 10 to 15 times and makes 47 km.
The average journey went from 2.9 km before confinement to 3.5 km in June. Vélib 'also gained 40,000 subscribers in a few weeks to reach the 380,000 mark. JCDecaux counted a maximum of 303,725 in 2016.
Of course, the service is again starting to suffer from this heavy use. Unusable or absent bicycles are enraging some users. But Smovengo ensures that it works twice as hard, with more than 3,300 bikes repaired in the workshop each week, and 2,100 subject to maintenance in the field.
Unlike the transport strike this winter, which saw the bicycle fleet deteriorate at high speed, Smovengo claims to have anticipated during confinement and is already preparing for the big rush of the start of the new school year in September, with the new cycle paths in the process of sustainability, which could accommodate even more cyclists.
Totally free on Tuesday July 7
And to attract new ones, Vélib 'offers a free discovery offer, exclusively this Tuesday, July 7. If you want to test the service, no need to pay the 5 euros for the Discovery Pass. With the code "AUBOULOTENVELIB", you will benefit from free access to green Vélib ', within the limit of half an hour of journey.
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Another novelty, if you want to convince your employer, a Vélib 'Pro offer is available. Companies can buy subscriptions for their employees at decreasing prices.